Major Attractions In Zambia

The most gorgeous sight in Zambia, without doubt, is the Victoria Falls, known locally as the ‘smoke that thunders’. Water from the Zambezi River cascades down a 100m cliff, which is 2km in width, sending out spray that can be seen from miles away. 

It is nature’s greatest curtain of falling water and is truly an awe-inspiring sight! There are several places in Zambia from where you can see the Victoria Falls, but the best is Knife Edge Bridge, where visitors have the finest view of the Eastern Cataract and the Main Falls, as well as the Boiling Pot where the river turns and heads down the Batoka Gorge. Other vantage points include the ‘Falls Bridge’ and the ‘Lookout Tree’, which command a panoramic view across the Main Falls. Different times of the year will provide completely different experiences of the Falls. After the rains, around March and April, the Falls is a majestic, triumphant roar of water sending spray up to a height of 500m. It is difficult to see the entire width of the Falls on foot at this time because the spray obstructs vision but the aerial view is spectacular. In November and December, the Falls are almost dry, allowing fantastic glimpses of the brown cliffs behind it.

 Ngonye Falls, second in volume only to Victoria Falls, crashes down a 20m gorge. It is best seen from the foot of the falls where the viewing platform is on the rocks under which the river flows.

Only a small part of Lake Tanganyika can be viewed in Zambia. The steep shorelines are awesome and unlike any other lake in Africa. It also holds pride of place as the second deepest lake in the world. Lake Kariba, shared with Zimbabwe, is ideal for a trip for two to three days. Tiger fishing is one of the favourite pastimes of visitors to the Lake. Houseboats can be rented in Siavonga, a little resort town on the shores of the Lake. The best time to visit is April to May and September to early October.

Safaris are very popular with visitors to Zambia. Kafue National Park is the largest and oldest game park in the country. It is especially a birdwatcher’s delight because the Kafue and Lafupa Rivers are home to more than 400 species of birds. 

Some of them are remarkable such as the fishing owl and the purple crested lourie. The big mammals, such as lions, cheetahs and leopards, are also commonly seen. 4WD safaris are very popular in this park. The South Luangwa National Park holds the reputation of being the most famous game reserve in Zambia. There are lodges and campsites in the park for accommodation. Drives and ‘walking tours’ are organised in this reserve. The North Luangwa National Park is reportedly wilder and many safari companies organise tours.

Lusaka, the capital city, has a rocking nightlife complete with live music. There are many restaurants to cater to every taste bud. Cairo Road is the hip-hop and bustling place in the city with its zany shop fronts and wonderful shopping malls. Within the city, the sights to see are the Lusaka Museum, the Cultural Village at Kabwata and the Munda Wanga Botanical Gardens and zoo. Take a day trip to Lilayi Game Ranch and the Kafue Marina (an idyllic picnic spot) from Lusaka.

The Copperbelt area comprises of Ndola, Kitwe and Chingola. You can visit the mines and take a tour down the shafts. Ndola has the interesting Copperbelt Museum, which documents the discovery and mining of copper, which changed the economic scenario of Zambia. Ndola and Chingola are scenic cities, apart from their importance as mining centres.